So here is a thought for you (regarding taking both guns). I am not going to leave the rifle in the truck and risk having a good rifle opportunity and only having the ML (I'll shoot a whitetail at 300yds with my Omega but I am not comfortable doing so with an elk, and I can shoot past 300 with the WinMag).

However, I am in extremely good shape (30 yr old, easily can run 70 or more miles a week, good enough that I spent a few years trying to qualify for the Olympic trials). I have an Omega X7 with just the peeps, so it is very light. I plan to get a Yukon pack that I could strap the rifle in and carry the Omega.... I've run at altitudes up to 10,000 ft with no issues, long races as high as Denver.

Thoughts? Packing the elk out would be more difficult than carrying an extra 6.5lb gun...

Or am I just crazy?